feature

Kabul, Interrupted

“Everyone just came and built anywhere,
including in parks, on governmental
buildings, on hillsides.”

Ahmad Zaki

Story by Jim Bisco

THE DEPARTURE OF AHMAD ZAKI (MUP ’14) from his native
Afghanistan was sudden. He was told he had received a Fulbright
Scholarship—to pursue a master’s degree in urban
planning at UB—the day before his flight. Taking the
opportunity would mean leaving behind his family and job, but it
would also mean pursuing a lifelong dream to help his beloved city
of Kabul. He accepted.

Ravaged by decades of war, with extreme levels of pollution,
out-of-control construction, a population that has swelled from
500,000 to five million in the past decade and numerous other urban
woes, Kabul is in desperate need of planning. This is where Zaki
comes in: Armed with knowledge gained at UB, he hopes to establish
the country’s first urban planning program at KabulUniversity, where he
is a professor of architecture.

We met with Zaki at the end of his two-year program at
UB’s School of Architecture
and Planning, shortly before he boarded a plane back to his
home country to set his dream in motion.

How was your experience in Buffalo and, in particular, at
UB? It was really challenging at the beginning. But as day by day
goes on, you find out how friendly are the teachers, classmates and
environment. I’ve started to love the place, to have a
feeling that I’m tied with the area.

Did you find the program at UB to be relevant to the
situation in Afghanistan? Yes. It is enriched with courses that are applicable all over
the world—how to plan to create jobs for poor people, how to
advocate for distressed communities, how to plan for environmental
quality. I can take that knowledge and apply it back home.

How bad is the situation in Kabul right now? Everything is in bad condition—the environmental system,
transportation system, sanitation system. Observing this desperate
condition strengthened my determination to get my
master’s.

Has there ever been any urban planning there? Kabul is a city with over 3,500 years of history. Its story as
a capital city of modern Afghanistan, however, began in 1776. In
the early 1900s the city began developing in a modern style, with
European architecture, a new palace and tree-lined avenues. Kabul
was considered one of the most beautiful cities in Asia until 1978,
when war not only halted its development, but also made it a target
for different parties. There was a plan in place then, but most of
it was never implemented. During the civil war, from the 1980s to
2001, a majority of the city was burned to ashes and it was left
with a dysfunctional infrastructure and destroyed environment.
After 2001, immigrants, displaced persons and a huge amount of
housing brought such a dynamic movement to the city that it was
actually impossible for the government to control. Everyone just
came and built anywhere, including in parks, on governmental
buildings and on hillsides.

There seems to be so much to do. What are the top priorities
when you get back? Uncontrolled development and environmental quality, especially
in the capital. People are burning wood to heat their houses.
During the summer it’s full of dust and smoke, and during the
winter it’s full of smoke. There are great areas that are so
distressed, with no recreational areas for the people to go and
enjoy a walk. It’s literally not walkable or bikeable. The
public transportation system is really poor. And a sewage system is
needed.

How do you plan to address these issues? My primary objective is to establish this program together
with my colleagues to educate the young generation and produce
planning professionals who can slowly change things. I also hope to
get the opportunity of working in a governmental position where I
could implement my ideas and make broader changes after I establish
the program.

Do you think young people are eager for this kind of
program? There is a big demand for it, but a big portion of students
who want an education are not admitted to universities. Currently
about 300,000 students are waiting to take the admission exam, but
the government has the capacity to accept only about 40,000
students.

And do you feel this is the right time to reintroduce the
idea of urban planning in Afghanistan? Unfortunately, thinking about improvements and development
usually is not appreciated. Another challenge is an autocratic
system that says changes have to come from their side because they
are the decision makers. Since the decision is made top-down, any
efforts from the bottom may not get attention. Then, there are the
political situations. Any time, any moment, something could just
happen.

Yet, despite all these potential setbacks, you seem to
maintain a positive attitude. Yes, I have positive feelings, especially during the last 10
years because things have significantly changed. The people here,
especially the young generation, are being exposed to opportunities
and successes, and now they know their right to have a good quality
of living. The young generation also got out from a dark era to a
brighter era; many, many students like me came to the western world
and got an education. So this is a big opportunity for the country.
And I think if there is good leadership, the young generation has
the ideas and the will. This, I think, is something that gives hope
to many.

Jim Bisco is a freelance writer whose work appears in various
UB publications.